The SEAL’s Secret Lover by Anne Calhoun (Alpha Ops #1)
Contemporary Romance
Released: February 2, 2016
St. Martin’s
Reviewed by Mandi
I’ve had great success with Anne Calhoun in the past, but this book did not work for me. Rose Powell has a demanding job in a field of all men. When she finds out her brother, a former Navy SEAL decides not to accompany their grandmother and her friends to Turkey for a vacation at the last minute, Rose grudgingly fills in. She doesn’t want to let her grandmother down and works it out so she can work while in Turkey. Her brother sets-up one of his SEAL buddies who lives in Istanbul to be their tour guide – and off Rose and the old ladies go.
In Turkey they meet Keenan Parker, who very nicely takes Rose and her grandmother and friends on a sightseeing tour. Rose has phone trouble and other technology fails as she tries to get wi-fi and get some work done. Along the way, Rose and Keenan start having sex.
Boring set up but man – sorry to say but this is a boring book. I couldn’t find any chemistry between Rose and Keenan. They meet, and decide to have sex just for the hell of it – and while the sex scenes are steamy, the couple themselves come across too flat and passionless. The sex would have been super hot had these two really been into each other. Instead, it just didn’t seem to fit. What is the reason these two actually fall for each other? They start a physical relationship because they are attracted to each other and overseas and, heck, why not? But, after the sex, I didn’t feel like these two really connect.
This story is pretty short – I guess about 100 pages (it ended at the 80% mark on my kindle). Maybe if they had more time to get to know each other I would have been into them more. But I think even on top of that, nothing happens in this story. We go along with “The Babes” (Grannie and her friends) as they sight see and use the restrooms a lot. That’s it. There was nothing silly, or suspenseful or – engaging. I need more than just Grannie and restrooms!
Grade: D
Goodreads l Author Website l Series
I read it and I found it about a ‘C’ quality. The travelogue about Turkey was actually the best part.